Report on net neutrality by mid-May: Prasad

A committee on net neutrality, set up by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), will submit its report by the second week of May to help the government make a comprehensive decision on the contentious issue, Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Monday.

Net neutrality means that governments and internet service providers should treat all data on the internet equally — therefore, not charging users, content, platform, site, application or mode of communication differentially.

Prasad told media persons here that since internet is created by human beings, the common man should be having access to it without any discrimination.

He said this entire process of a committee of experts going into the pros and cons of the issue will benefit the government in making comprehensive decisions. “This is the reason we are doing it independent of TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India),” Prasad added.

The internal panel, which will conduct the study and submit its report, consists of six members.

In March, telecom regulator TRAI released a paper inviting comments from users and companies on how over-the-top services should be regulated in the country. It has asked stakeholders to send suggestions by April 24 and counter-arguments need to be submitted by May 8.

The US Federal Communications Commission has defended its stand on net neutrality and its commissioner Mignon Clyburn said: “The rules will ensure that the internet remains the great equalizer of our time.” (IANS)